2021-03-25 EVENT: AR/LA/MS/AL/TN/KY

[Tom Dulong]

Unconfirmed reports of a storm chaser taking a direct hit by a wedge and / or in an accident. This is UNCONFIRMED, but multiple reports on social media.

I don't know if these chasers were hit by the wedge, but I was watching their stream and saw a vehicle make a turn right in front of them just east of Centreville about 522pm cdt.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Per a Facebook report, they are OK.

 

[Todd Lemery]

I also heard someone cut him off and his feed went dead. Initials of S.E.

 

[Todd Lemery]

Per a Facebook report, they are OK.

Glad to hear that. News is reporting 5 confirmed dead in Alabama now

 

[Mikayla Norris]

Josh Johnson at WSFA in Montgomery just posted on his Facebook that the tornado that lifted near Childersburg, AL may have been on the ground close to 100 miles. And the tornado that hit James Spann's home is reported to have been on the ground as the storm crossed into AL from MS, and may have still been on the ground when the storm crossed into GA. Now I'm inclined to think these were several different tornadoes originating from their respective storms, but if these numbers verify that is staggering. The one that allegedly crossed AL could end up making a run for the longest confirmed track on record if it verifies. Absolutely insane.

 

[Patrick K]

Josh Johnson at WSFA in Montgomery just posted on his Facebook that the tornado that lifted near Childersburg, AL may have been on the ground close to 100 miles. And the tornado that hit James Spann's home is reported to have been on the ground as the storm crossed into AL from MS, and may have still been on the ground when the storm crossed into GA. Now I'm inclined to think these were several different tornadoes originating from their respective storms, but if these numbers verify that is staggering. The one that allegedly crossed AL could end up making a run for the longest confirmed track on record if it verifies. Absolutely insane.

I think the earlier Spann-affecting storm was still tornadic into NW Georgia near Cave Spring. The dissipated circulation eventually passed perilously close to my family member's home in Floyd County, doing considerable tree damage in the area.

 

[Mike Smith]

Turns out that the home itself had minor damage but trees were snapped and uprooted on his property. It is livable.
His wife was in shelter and is fine.

Ginger Zee is staying overnight and I believe she is doing to do a story on the irony of his home getting struck while he was on the air. My guess is it will be on GMA or, more likely, World News Tonight.

I'm not sure where in that tornado warning there's reference to hail being the main threat, as by definition, a tornado warning and any SWS on a tornado warning implies a tornado is the main threat.

 

[Mike Smith]

Another supercell produced classic tornado signatures and damage in southeast Alabama around 9-9:15pm.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Better hope the storm weakens / dies or has a long benign cycle before it moves into the highly populated areas near Atlanta.

Update: Looks like Newnan, GA may have taken a direct hit from a massive tornado judging by radar signatures and debris aloft. This may be the most dangerous and destructive tornado of the day. Tornado Emergencies now being issued for this storm.

 

[Jeff House]

First thought is the the long-track tornadoes indeed followed outflow boundaries from morning rain. However it had to be south of the stable air. While deep layer parameters were lower down there, low-level parameters were maximized (SRH and low-level CAPE). Winds were backed on the boundary and the surface heated up at/south of it.

Second both ARW versions sniffed out the northeast Alabama mess again. HRRR was just crazy. NAM pushed for a big warm sector, but was not as robust as the HRRR. Felt like ARWs caught the evolution best though.

Finally I believe moderate to high parameters, but not pegged out, are best for chasers. How we got there could be debated. Anyway the long-trackers were south of the maxed out indices. Just the low-level details were quite important.